Folding-machine.



No. 664,912. Patented lan. l, |901. E. M. WALKER 8. R. D. VIELE.

FOLDING MACHINE.

Applation fxled Juno l5, 1899..

(No Model.) l 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 664,9I2. Y Patented lan. I, I90l.

E. M. WALKER & R. D. VIELE. 'l

FOLDING MACHINE.

[Application led June 15, 1899.\

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E. M. WALKER n. n. VIELE.

FOLDING MACHINE.

fApplication filed Jlne 15, 1899.|

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

No. 664,912. Patented ran. l, 19m. E. M 'WALKER R. D. VIELE. FOLDINGMACHINE.

\Application filed June 15, 1899.) (No Model.) Y 4 Sheets--Sheei 4.

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UNT'TED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

EDWARD M. W'ALKER, OF TROY, AND RANSOM D. VIELE, OF ROCKTON, NEW YORK,ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD 'lO THEODORF. D. ROBINSON,=

OF ALBANY, NEWT YORK.

FOLDING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,912, dated January1, 1901.

Application led June 15,1899.

To @ZZ wtont t may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD M. WALKER, residing at Troy, county ofRensselaer, and RANson D. VIELE, residing at Rookton, county ofMontgomery, State of New York, citizens of the United States, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding-Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The invention relates to such improvements; and it consists of the novelconstruction and combination of parts hereinafter described andsubsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, land the letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several figures.

Figure l of the drawings is a view in front elevation of our improvedfolding-machine. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. is a viewon an enlarged scale of a portion of the folder-plate shown complete inFig. S, portions of the plate being broken away and theadjustablecorner-block beingremoved. Fig. 2b is a similar View with theadjustable cornerblock restored, showing the same in one of itspositions in solid lines and in its other position in dotted lines. Fig.3 is a central vertical longitudinal section of the same, taken on thebroken line 3 3 in Fig. 2, the upper portion of the carriage and thelower portion of the frame being omitted. Fig. LL is a View, partly inplan and partly in transverse horizontal section, on the broken line 4 iin Fig. 1. Fig. is a plan View ofthe top of the frame or body of themachine, the carriage being removed. Fig. 6 is a similar view showingthe carriage in horizontal section and a plan View of the cam foroperating the carriage. Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the maindrivingfshaft, showing a view in elevation of the intermittent clutchmechanism. Fig. S is a bottom plan view of the folder-plate detached.Fig. 9 is a central vertical transverse section of the former,former-stem, and slideway for the stem, showing the cam mechanism foroperating the Serial No. 720,730. .No model.)

blank receiving and delivering tray. Fig; 10 is a side view of one ofthe stripper-pins and its supporting slotted plate; Fig. 11 is a bottomplan view of the same.

Our invention relates to folding-machines for inturnng the edges ofblanks of various forms, as fabric-blanks, in the manufacture of collarsand cuffs.

Referring to the drawings, A is the frame of the machine, having the topA provided with a central aperture or well A2. At the bottom of the wellis a platform A3, supported from the top by means of the depending rodsA4. This platform supports upon suitable traekways a carriage B, locatedwithin the well and capable of a universal movement within the well andupon said platform. To permit such universal movement, the carriage ismounted directly upon the track-plates B, having longitudinal trackwaysB2, which tit grooves formed in the bottom of the carriage and guide thecarriage in its movements in one direction, and these track-plates arein turn mounted upon the trackways B3, formed upon the upper side of theplatform A3, eX- tending at right angles to the ways upon thetrack-plates and fitting grooves formed in the under sides of saidplates. The carriage is provided with a top B4, which forms the bed ortable for the folding operation. The carriage is also provided withuprights B5, connected by a framework B6 above the bed, which frameworkcontains a slideway B7, eX- tending at right angles to the bed andadapted to receive and form a guideway for the stem C, which supportsand carries the former or die C', attached to the lower end of the stem.The former-stem is provided with a plate-gear C2, adapted to be engagedby a gear-segment G3, rotatively mounted upon the framework B(i andadapted to be rotated by means of the crank-handle C4, wherebyreciprocating vertical movements can be irnparted to the stem to movethe former toward and from the bed. Aspring-actuated rod C5 engages theformer-stem and tends to yieldingly support the same in either anelevated, lowered, or intermediate position in the slideway.

plate, whereby the folder-plate is maintained V in fixed relation to theframe of the machine. The folder-plate is adapted t-o rest upon the bedof the carriage normally, the bed and former being capable of a movementin unison with each other and with the carriage relatively to the frameof the machine and the folder-plate xed thereto.

In accomplishing the folding operation a blank slightly larger than thedesired size of the finished blank is employed and is laid upon acentral aperture D3 in the folder-plate and forced down through suchaperture upon the bed of the carriage by lowering the former thereupon,the former being of the exact shape which it is desired to impart to thefinished blank and the folder-aperture being of similar shape andclosely approximating the size of the former, so that as the blank isforced down through the folder-aperture its side edges will be bentupwardly by engagement with the walls of the aperture into a position atright angles'to the body of the blank. While the blank is thus heldtightly clamped between the former and bed and with its edges upturned,a universal movement is iniparted to the carriage upon its ways, as willbe hereinafter more particularly described,

causing the several edges of the blank andV former to slide beneath andbe overlapped by the folder-plate successively, thereby crushing theupturned edges of the blank down upon the former and causing the blankto assume a folded forni similar to that of the former. At the end ofits universal movement the carriage is returned to its original normalposition, which locates the former centrally of the folder-aperture, andthe former, with the blank folded thereon, is raised and the blankremoved in any known manner.

As a means for imparting a universal movement to the carriage upon itsways we provide a cam E, fixed upon the upper end of a vertical shaft orspindle E', rotatively supported in bearings in the frame of themachine, and adapted to engage the cam-followers E2, fixed upon thecarriage. We have shown four of these followers in the form of rollersmounted upon brackets E3, adj ustably secured to the bottom of thecarriage at points .equidistant from the center thereof and at anangular distance apart of ninety degrees. By having the four followersso arranged and adapted to all simultaneously engage the cam we are ableto exactly center the carriage in A.the well after each foldingoperation, thus bringing the former to the center of the folderaperturein position to be freely raised from the bed.

W'e have shown in the drawings a cam having two cam projections E4 andtwo cam depressions E5, each projection being located diametricallyopposite one of said depresL sions, whereby a half-rotation of thecamwill produce a universal movement of the carriage, and consequently ofthe former, causing the said former to be overlapped by the folder onall sides successively. i

As a means for operating the cam-shaft E we provide the same with abeveled gear E6, adapted to mesh with a similar gear E7 on thehorizontal drivingshaft E8. mechanism for this drive-shaft consists ofthe belt-pulley F, supported on the outer end thereof and rotary thereonand connected with said shaft by an intermittent clutch mechanismcomprising a dog F, pivoted to the hub F2, fixed upon the shaft E8, andactuated by the spring F3 to engage the internally-V toothed rim F4 ofthe belt-pulley, whereby the hub and shaft are connected with and driveby said-pulley.

The clutch mechanism is automatically disconnected at the end of eachrotation of the drive-shaft by means of the stop-rod F5, adapted toslide in bearings supported by the frame of the machine and which isprojected into the path ofV said dog by means of the spring F6, the dogimmediately upon engaging saidV stop being thrown out of engagement withthe toothed rim of the drive-pulley, and thereby disconnecting saidshaft and pulley. This stop is moved out of the path of the dog torelease the same by Vmeans of the angle-lever F7, operated by-thetreadle FS and connecting-link F9. the dog is at once forced by itsactuatingspring into engagement with the toothed rim.V

of the drive-pulley, and the resultant operation ot' the drive-shaft iscontinued until the dog again engages the stop. The diameter ofthebeveled gear on the cam-shaft is double that of the intermeshing beveledgear on the Vhen the stop is thus removed,A

The driving IOC drive-shaft, whereby a complete rotation of:

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additional pressure may be secured in any known manner, as bythepresser-plates G G, which are forced into engagement with the ends ofthe folder-plate, respectively, by the spring-actuated rods G' G', eachof which passes down through an apertured lug G2 on the frame of themachine and is inclosed i by a coil-spring G3, which bears at its upperend upon said lug and at its lower end upon a nut G4, screwed upon thelower threaded end of said rod, whereby the force of the spring may bevaried as desired to produce dierent degrees of pressure upon thefolderplate.

When desired, the bed of the carriage may be heated in any known manner,as by the gas-burners H, projecting upwardly from the supply-pipes Hthrough apertures in the platform A3 and bottom of the carriage. l/Vhensuch burners are employed, the carriage is preferably provided with ahorizontal diaphragm H2, located a short distance beneath and extendingparallel with the bed B4, whereby an inclosed air-chamber H3 is formedbetween the diaphragm and bed, which prevents direct contact of the damefrom the burners wiih the bed and causes the heat to be uniformlydistributed to the bed.

XVe have also shown in the drawings of our improved machine mechanismfor automatically stripping the folded blanks from the former anddelivering them to a table or other receptacle. The stripping mechanismcomprises one or more stripping-pins J, each depending from the upperframework B* of the carriage into the path of the former, which isprovided with apertures J, adapted to receive the respective pins. Asthe former is raised from the bed with a blank folded thereon these pinsengage the blank through the apertures in the former, and as the upwardmovement of the former is continued the blank is forced off from theformer. The stripper-pins are each adjustably secured to the framework Bby means of a slotted link J2 and a screw-bolt J3, inserted through theslot JVl of the link and secured to the lower part of said framework B5by means of the nut J5. By loosening said nut the link maybe adj ustedto bring the pin into proper position to enter the aperture in theformer. Any desired number of stripper-pins may be employed arranged toenter, respectively, a like number of apertures in the former.

The delivering` mechanism comprises, preferably, a tray K, provided onits rear side with a pair of oppositely-projeciingtrunnions K', adaptedto rest and slide upon the downwardly and rearwardly curved ways K2,supported by the framework B5, and on its front side with a pair ofopposirely-projecting trunnions K3, each having a bearing-support in thelower end of an arm K1, lixed upon and depending from the rock-shaft K5,supported in bearings on the framework B6. This rockshaft is alsoprovided with a short arm K, fixed thereon, and provided on its outerend with a cam-follower K7, adapted to travel in a cam-groove KS, formedin a cam-plate K9,ixed upon and adapted to move with the formerstem C.This cam-groove is so formed that at approximately the same time thatthe strippers are brought into engagement. with the folded blank on theformer the rock-shaft is operated to move the tray K into positionbeneath the elevated former to receive the stripped blank as the samefalls by gravity after being forced od from the former and that duringthe first part of the descending movement of the former the rock-shaftwill be operated to move the tray rearwardly out of the path of thedescending former, which rearward movement causes the front edge of thetray to be slightly elevated, while its rear edge descends upon thecurved ways K2 until the blank slides by gravity off from the tray andfalls upon a table K10 or other receptacle which may be provided toreceive it.

Any known mechanisms may be employed for imparting the desired movementsto the several parts of our improved machine.

The former and folder of our improved machine are preferably each arigid unitary construction as regards their movements.

In using our improved machine for folding blanks of rectangular form inwhole or part the blanks can be folded so that their folded edges willinterlock those of one blank with those of another when assembled toform a collar or cud by folding first the side edges and then the endedges of one set of blanks and folding first the end edges and then theside edges ofthe other set of complementary.

blanks, the proper movements of the carriage to produce these resultsbeing easily accomplished by substituting different forms of cam inplace of the cam E. Vhen so producing a fold on the corner of the blank,it is desirable to provide a recess in the adjacent folder-wall, whichextends at an angle to the edge of the blank first folded, to receivethe fullness of fabric formed by the fold at the corner of the blank. Toadapt the folder of our improved machine to fold the corners of theblanks in this manner, we cut away a portion of the folder adjacent tothe corner of the folderaperture and remove also a'small portion of theaperture-wall on each side of the corner, and in the space thus formedwe place an adjustable corner-block P, somewhat smaller than such spaceand secured to the body of the folder by a screw P'. This corner-blockis'adapted to he adjustably secured in contiguity with the wall of thefolder-aperture on either side of the corner and when so secured leavesa small space between the block and wall on the other side of thecorner. By loosening the screw P' and changing the adjustment of thecorner-block the folder can he adapted for folding either the sidebefore the end or the end before the side of the corner of a blank, asmay be desired.. A similar block may be provided for each corner, ifdesired.

It is essential that some means be provided for guidim;` the carriage,with its bed and former, into a predetermined fixed lateral relation tothe folder at the conclusion of each folding operation, whereby thefolder and former shall be so centered and arranged relatively to oneanother that the former can be moved toward and from the bed withoutinterference from the folder. We have shown such means in the fourcam-followers E2, above described, whereby the former is positively anduniformly positioned at the conclusion of each folding operation.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv

1. In a folding-machine, the combination with a stationary support; of acarriage movably mounted upon said support and capable IOO IIO

of universal movement in a horizontal plane thereon; a bed and formermounted upon said carriage and movable therewith; a stationary folderconnected with said support; and cooperative with said bed and former;and a cam for imparting to the carriage auniversal movement in ahorizontal plane, substantially as described.

2. The combination in a folding-machine, of a bed; a unitary rigidformer superposed upon the bed and having oppositely-disposed formingedges; means for moving said former toward and from the bed; a unitaryrigid folder having oppositely disposed folding edges cop'erativesuccessively with the oppositely-disposed forming edges respectively ofthe unitary rigid former; means for imparting to one of said unitarymembers a relative movement, whereby the folding edges are caused tooverlap the forming edges successively; and automatically-operatingmechanism for guiding into predetermined lixed lateral relation to eachother at the conclusion of each folding operation the two unitaryconstructions and positively main taining said fixed lateral relation ofthe parts during the movement of the former toward and from the bed,substantially as described.

3. In a folding-machine, theV combination Witha stationary support; of acarriage mounted upon said support and capable of universal movement ina single plane thereon; a bed and former mounted upon said carriage andmovable therewith; a rigid unitary folder inclosing the former on allsides and connected with said support; means for imparting to thecarriage movements successively in different directions in the sameplane, whereby the folder is caused to overlap all sides of the former,successively, and means for guiding into predetermined, fixed, lateralrelation to each other at the conclusion of each folding operation, theformer and folder, substantially as described.

4. In a folding-machine, the combination with a support; and a folderconnected with said support; of a carriage movable upon said support; abed fixed upon said carriage; a slideway supported by uprights erectedfrom said carriage; a former; a stem connected with and supporting saidformer and movable in said slideway; means for reciprocating theformer-supporting stem in said slideWay; and means for moving saidcarriage, and guiding into predetermined, fixed, lateral relation toeach other at the conclusion of each folding operation, the former andfolder, substantially as described.

5. In a folding-machine the combination with a support; and a folderconnected With said support; of a carriage movable upon movable in saidslideway; means for reciproi eating the former-supporting stem in saidslideway; cam-followers on the carriage; a rotary cam engageablewithsaid followers and means for rotating said cam whereby the carriageis operated to produce a cooperative folding movement of the formerrelatively to the folder and is positively and uniformly positioned atthe conclusion of each folding operation, substantially as described.

6. In a folding-machine, the combination with a bed; a former; andfolding mechanism; of an automatic stripper for removing folded blanksfrom the former; a delivering mechanism to receive the blank from Vtheformer .and deliver the same upon a table or support provided therefor,and means for operating the said delivering mechanism, substantially asdescribed.

7. In a folding-machine, the combination with a bed; a former movabletoward and from the bed; and folding mechanism; of stripping mechanismfor removing the folded blanks from the former; a blank-receiving tray;means for moving said tray into position beneath the former to receivethe stripped blank; and means for moving said tray out of the path ofthe former, substantially as described.

8. In a folding-machine, the combination with a bed; a former movabletoward and from the bed; and folding mechanism; of

stripping mechanism for removing folded Y blanks from the former; amovable blank receiving and delivering tray; means for moving the formertoward and from the bed; andV cam connections between the former andtray, whereby the tray is moved into position to receive the strippedblank and out of the path of the former in unison with the movements ofthe former, substantially as described.

9. In a folding-machine, the combination with a folder-plate having anangular aperture and a recess at a corner of said aperture; of anadjustable corner-block secured in said recess and adapted to be securedin contiguity with either a side Wall or an end wall of said aperture,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In Witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 27th day of May,1899.

EDWARD M. WALKER. RANSOM D. VIELE. Witnesses:

FRANK C. CURTIS, E. H. ONEIL.

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